Delaware Good Sam Club cruises to Harrington for annual Samboree

The Delaware Good Sam Club will reunite for its annual Samboree at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington from Sept. 4 through Sept. 7.

Andre LamarAndre.lamar@doverpost.com@302DoAndre

The Delaware Good Sam Club will reunite for its annual Samboree at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington from Sept. 4 through Sept. 7.

What’s the Good Sam Club?

Not to be confused with the popular grocery chain “Sam’s Club,” the Good Sam Club is billed as the world's largest organization of recreational vehicle owners, according to GoodSamClub.com. The Good Sam Club was founded in 1966, and it’s committed to making traveling in recreational vehicles, commonly known as RVs, a safer and more rewarding experience for its 1.5 million members.

What’s a Samboree?

Once a year, the Good Sam Chapters of Delaware gather at the Delaware State Fairgrounds for a weekend of fun, fellowship and camaraderie to celebrate RVs.

Campers don’t have to be a Good Sam member to attend, however. The event is open to all campers, whether they camp in a tent, RV or etcetera.

The weekend of the Samboree includes live music, RV seminars, games, a flea/craft market, an intercontinental breakfast each morning, silly contests and more. The beach-country band Randy Lee Ashcraft and the Saltwater Cowboys will kick off the live entertainment on Sept. 4 at the Dover Building on the Fairgrounds. Go With the Flow Band will take the stage on Sept. 6, followed by the Christian duo John and Dody Martin on Sept. 7.

RV decorating contest and parade

Each year, there’s a different theme for the Samboree’s parade and RV decorating contest. This year’s theme is “Shorebilly on the Redneck Riviera.”

The RV decorating contest is held from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sept. 4. The winner will be announced at night on Sept. 6 or during closing ceremonies, around 10 a.m. on Sept. 7.

Campers will have the creative freedom to decorate their RVs in an aquatic theme, a redneck theme or a combination of both. The same goes for the attire of the participants who will stroll in the parade, which is basically a costume contest.

“I know some people are dressing up like ‘Duck Dynasty’ characters,” said Robin Church, the chapter coordinator for Delaware Good Sam. “My husband, I’m dressing him like Larry the Cable Guy.”

The parade will be held in the Dover Building at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6. The winner also will be announced at night on Sept. 6 or during closing ceremonies on Sept. 7.

“Since we’re in Delaware, we were thinking about the shore,” said Kelley Reynolds, the state director of Delaware Good Sam. “So instead of hillbilly, we created a ‘shorebilly’ theme. To make it more fun, we added ‘redneck Riviera.’”

Why’s Harrington so special?

The Samboree has been held at the Delaware State Fairgrounds for more than two decades, and the event attracts an average of 175 RVs.

In addition to the Fairgrounds being centrally located, which makes it easier to attract RVers from throughout the state, it also offers other incentives that make it ideal for hosting the Samboree. One of them, of course, is that it’s located next to the Harrington Raceway & Casino.

“The only place that can accommodate [175] RVs in one location is the Fairgrounds,” said Church, a resident of Blades. “The pavilions outside are really nice and there are bathrooms.”

What makes RVing fun?

Riding in an RV is like taking the ultimate road trip.

“You get to see more of the country instead of getting on an airplane and flying,” Church said. “You get to travel and see new sights.”

Not to mention, traveling in an RV allows you to share the experience with furry pals.

“We have two standard poodles and a cat that come with us,” Reynolds said. “The animals love going too. You open that motorhome door and they go running up the steps, and they’re ready to go.”